Ailith panted out a giggle and moved next to him.“I dinna think I need to learn knife throwing, William,” she commented flatly.
“Probably no’,” William replied as he kissed the top of her head before stepping away.“Now face me as ye would someone wanting to harm ye.”
Ailith held her knife the way William had instructed, but turned her body slightly in the stance Master Park had taught her.She bent her knees for balance and power, sweeping her skirts off her legs as she moved.It worked to keep the burdensome skirts from twisting between her legs and tripping her up.William lifted his eyebrows as he appraised her stance.
“I did no’ teach ye that,” William said.“Yet ‘tis functional.”
William then quickly reached over and drew his sword, slashing out at Ailith as the blade swept across his body.Ailith jumped back with a short squeak.Suddenly, now facing William holding a sword, she could see the value of knowing how to throw a knife.
“Aye, William,” Ailith commented sardonically.“Ye can show me how to throw a knife later.”
Then, moving at only half speed, William stabbed out at Ailith, aiming for her stomach and ready to pull back if she failed to react.With the blade down, Ailith slashed her knife across her body, deflecting William’s sword to her left.
“Good,” William said approvingly.
Still moving at half speed, he raised his sword high above his head to cleave down on her as he moved in closer.With her heart slamming in her chest and breathing heavily, Ailith moved quickly and stepped into him, closing the distance and jabbing her knife at his ribs, stopping the blade an inch away from his shirt.
“Good,” William said again as he slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her near regardless of the weapon she held.His body was hot and sweaty from their mock fighting, and the pure intensity of him overwhelmed her completely.Her thighs quivered in response.“But be wary of ribs.Your blade may bounce off bone or get embedded in the ribs.Will no’ do any good for ye opponent, but ye may lose your knife and be defenseless.”
“Aye, William, I’ll remember,” Ailith replied as she leaned into his arm.
Her breathing was heavy and erratic from their exertions and from his nearness.Her heart pounded harder against her breast when he touched her, and something about training with him, her heart pounding and her blood pumping, turned their fighting into something much more heated, more torrid.“Anything else?
“I think ‘tis enough for today,” William said and sheathed his sword.He wrapped both arms around her, drawing her close enough to share his knee-weakening heat.After the adrenaline of practice, his nearness only heightened her excitement.And his excitement as well, from the feel of his bulging manhood against her hip.“We can ride out and practice more in seclusion next time.I dinna want people seeing ye practice.‘Twill cause rumors–dangerous ones–and ye might lose the advantage of surprise.”
Ailith leaned into his broad chest, hearing his own heartbeat hammering beneath his skin.“Thank ye, my husband.”
“One last lesson,” William said as his hand slipped to cup the back of her head.“’Tis the most important one of all.”
Ailith pulled her head off his chest and looked up into his eyes, waiting to hear William’s final words of advice.
“The easiest way to die in a knife fight is to trynotto get cut,” he told her.“Everyone gets cut in a knife fight.Everyone.If ye walk away unbloodied, then ye’re lucky or skilled.But in your mind, ye must understand that yewillbe cut, and accept it.”
“Why?”Ailith asked as a chill took the edge off some of her hot yearning.His dire words ran contrary to the effort he put into training with her.
“Many men have died trying to avoid the blade to the point where their opponent is doing all the attacking while they do all the defending,” he explained in a slightly harder tone, as if he didn’t like having to discuss this topic with her.“Ye canna win if ye dinna attack, and that means getting close enough to be cut.I dinna know what your other training has been, but ye should know there are times when ye may have to use your own hand or arm as a shield to block or stop a blade from cutting your throat or piercing your heart.‘Tis why I would prefer ye dinna fight at all,” his tone shifted to a softer, if chastising one.“Though if necessary, I’d rather my wife lose a finger or take a deep gash across the forearm than to no’ come home to me at all.Do ye understand what I say?‘Tis no easy thing to stick one’s own hand in front of a blade, knowing what will happen.”
She nodded sagely.“I understand, William.”
His arms crushed her against him again, and finally his lips found hers as if sealing his words with a rough kiss that mirrored their knife play.His engorged staff surged against her skirted thigh and sent a titillating thrill through her body.His own need rivaled hers, and she slid her hand down between them to cup his turgid cock.
Now that they were done fighting, there was a more intimate type of dance they craved.
He rubbed his stubbly cheek against hers and whispered into her ear.
“Come.Now I’ll show you what a man needsaftera battle.”
His voice was harsh as he rushed her back to the keep and into their chambers.
After another two days of celebrations, guests slowly departed Drumoak.In truth, Ailith was glad to see the pageantry of her wedding disappear.She breathed easier and found she could relax a bit.
William spent much of those two days either by her side or with Eoghan and Ailbert.The affection and friendship of the three of them attested to their closeness, even if Eoghan had been gone for a time.
It warmed Ailith’s heart to see William with a childhood friend, who intended to stay (along with Betris, ugh!) for a few more days.He appeared almost boyish, a welcome respite after the harrowing weeks before her wedding, when he had to be the iron-hardened warrior, and only his time with her offered a reprieve from that hardness.
This softer William was outright adorable, with his blond waves falling across his forehead, his long limbs moving with confidence.Sometimes she stopped what she was doing to watch him, relishing his childish exuberance.
Now that Drumoak was approaching normalcy, it was time to refocus.She had to see about propagating more of the mushrooms, tracking them, and keeping an eye out for dangers.Hopefully, her dreams might give her guidance on what her next steps should be.
